The Liberal Democrats have won the Henley and Thame constituency in the General Election after more than a century of Conservative dominance in the area.

Freddie Van Mierlo has become the new MP for the area after receiving 23,904 votes.

This came out above Caroline Newton of the Conservative Party, who took over the reins from the longstanding John Howell. She lost the seat as she received 17,637 votes.

Reform UK’s recent surge was felt in the vote as candidate Peter Shields came third claiming 5,213 votes.

READ MORE: Live Election shockwaves as Tories toppled in safe seats

Labour’s Nanda Manley-Browne came fourth with a total of 3,574 votes received.

Jo Robb of the Green Party received 2,008 votes which meant she was unable to replicate the party’s success in Bristol.

Elsewhere Maryse Pomlett of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) received 515 votes whilst David Carpin of the Independent Alliance got 306.

Freddie Van Mierlo's Lib Dem win saw him replicate Philip Morrell’s historic Liberal win in 1906, the only previous time that a party other than the Tories won the constituency. 

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The constituency was recently altered to cover Henley and Thame after the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.

Henley has famously been a Conservative safe seat with the area rarely voting for anything other than blue in the past with the seat even being former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s in the past.

In the last General Election in 2019, John Howell OBE received 32,189 votes which made up a considerable majority of 14,053.

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Freddie Van Mierlo with Layla Moran and Olly Glover.Freddie Van Mierlo with Layla Moran and Olly Glover. (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Howell had served the constituency since 2008 after he won a by-election to replace Boris Johnson, who resigned following his election as Mayor of London.

The constituency, which was even represented by Michael Heseltine in the past, was a key target of the Conservatives after so-called “safe seats” in Oxfordshire started to be doubted.

Rishi Sunak visited Henley in early June in an attempt to win the support of locals but found his campaign trail visit to be interrupted.

The Prime Minister was photobombed whilst sitting near the river by a boat carrying Liberal Democrat politicians and supporters.

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Freddie Van Mierlo won the seat with 23,904 votes.Freddie Van Mierlo won the seat with 23,904 votes. (Image: Newsquest)

Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper was on the vessel as Mr Sunak seemed oblivious to what was going on behind him.

The seat covers the District of South Oxfordshire wards of Benson & Crowmarsh; Berinsfield; Chalgrove; Chinnor; Forest Hill & Holton; Garsington & Horspath; Goring; Haseley Brook; Henley-on-Thames; Kidmore End & Whitchurch; Sonning Common; Thame; Watlington; Wheatley; Woodcote & Rotherfield.

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